Tray for packaging u-shaped bulbs

ABSTRACT

A molded tray for packaging U-shaped bulbs includes a bottom wall having upwardly extending sidewalls which terminate in a peripheral rim. At least one U-shaped bulb-receiving pocket is on the bottom wall with the legs of the pocket terminating at the rim and the bight of the pocket terminating short of the rim. Upstanding crushing resistance means or ribs are on the bottom wall to define the U-shaped pocket. A plurality of spaced resilient pads are in the U-shaped pocket and extend above the bottom wall a lesser amount than the crushing resistance ribs.

United States Patent [72] lnventor Henry R. Vigue Waterville, Maine [21] Appl. No. 866,947 [22] Filed Oct. 16, 1969 [45] Patented Sept. 28, 1971 [7 3] Assignee Keyes Fibre Company Waterville, Maine [54] TRAY FOR PACKAGING U-SHAPED BULBS 13 Claims, 10 Drawing Figs.

[52] US. Cl 206/46 FR, 206/46 FC, 206/65 R, 217/265, 217/27, 229/25 [51] Int. Cl 865d 43/02 [50] Field of Search 206/ l 6 R, 46 FR, 46 FC,46 H, 65 R, 72; 217/265, 27; 229/25 [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,758,772 8/1956 Williams 206/46 FR X 2,838,173 6/1958 Emery 229/2.5 X 2,984,345 5/1961 Emery 206/65 R 3,163,312 12/1964 Chaplin.1..-..... 217/265 3,337,035 8/1967 Pennybacker 206/46 H 3,384,220 5/1968 Linstead 206/16 R 3,509,994 5/1970 Poznak 206/65 R Primary Examiner-Joseph R. Leclair Assistant Examiner-Steven E. Lipman Attorney-C0nn0lly and Hutz ABSTRACT: A molded tray for packaging U-shaped bulbs includes a bottom wall having upwardly extending sidewalls which terminate in a peripheral rim. At least one U-shaped bulb-receiving pocket is on the bottom wall with the legs of the pocket terminating at the rim and the bight of the pocket terminating short of the rim. Upstanding crushing resistance means or ribs are on the bottom wall to define the U-shaped pocket. A plurality of spaced resilient pads are in the U- shaped pocket and extend above the bottom wall a lesser amount than the crushing resistance ribs.

PATENTED SEP28 um 360K706 sum 2 or 3 TRAY FOR PACKAGING U-SIIAPED BULBS BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to a tray for packaging products such as U-shaped fluorescent lamp bulbs. Such products which are of fragile nature and irregular shape are difficult to store and transport without damage and breakage of the product. For example when a plurality of such products are packaged atop each other the products must be isolated to prevent the fragile bulbs from smashing into each other when the package is jolted. More over frequent breakage is caused with conventional packaging arrangements by impact imparted to the outside of the shipping box or carton. A further consideration in packaging these fragile products is to accommodate the packaging tray for automatic loading without damage to the product.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of this invention is to provide a packaging tray for fragile products such as U-shaped fluorescent lamp bulbs.

A further object is to provide such a tray which effectively isolates the bulbs from each other to eliminate the danger of the bulbs smashing into each other.

A still further object is to provide such a tray which readily absorbs any impact imparted to the outside of the shipping box during storage or handling.

In accordance with this invention a molded tray made for example from a pulp or foam plastic material includes a bottom wall having upwardly extending side walls which terminate in a peripheral rim. The tray includes at least one U- shaped pocket for receiving a portion of the U-shaped bulb. The legs of the pocket terminate at the rim of the tray while the bight terminates short of the rim. Upstanding crushing resistance members or ribs are on the bottom wall to define and isolate the pocket. A plurality of spaced resilient pads are in the pocket with the crushing resistance ribs extending above the bottom wall a greater amount than these resilient pads.

The pocket may include leg extensions adjacent the bight so that the intermediate bend of a bulb may be inserted in the bight of one tray and the legs thereof inserted in the leg extensions of a like coplanar tray. The bulbs may be stored and transported by inverting a pair of the trays so that each bulb is sandwiched between two pairs of trays with the bright portion of the bulb between one pair and the leg portions between the other pair of trays.

In an alternative packaging arrangement where less protection can be tolerated each bulb may be rested upon two trays as indicated above but with the upper trays being disposed in the normal fashion rather than being inverted. Thus the upper tray may also hold a further bulb.

Advantageously, the corners of the tray may be beveled to facilitate automatic loading.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING Novel features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent to one skilled in the art from a reading of the followed detailed description in conjunction with the accompanying drawing wherein similar reference characters refer to similar parts and in which:

FIG. I is a plan view of a packaging tray in accordance with this invention with a pair of bulbs indicated therein in phantom;

FIG. 2-3 are side and end elevation views of the tray shown in FIG. 1;

FIGS. 45 are cross section views taken through FIG. 1 along the lines 4-4 and 5-5, respectively;

FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional plan view of a set of trays in one packaging arrangement;

FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional elevation view of the set of trays shown in FIG. 6;

FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional viewtaken through FIG. 7 along the line 8-8;

FIG. 9 is a plan view of a set of trays similar to FIG. 6 in accordance with a further packaging arrangement; and

FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view in elevation of a still further packaging arrangement.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION FIGS. 1-5 illustrate a packing tray 10 formed in accordance with this invention. As indicated therein tray 10 includes a bottom wall 12 having side walls 14 extending upwardly therefrom and terminating in peripheral rim 16. Tray 10 also includes a pair of U-shaped bulb receiving pockets or areas l8, 18. Each pocket 18 has a pair of parallel leg portions 20 joined together by bight portion 22. Leg portions 20 terminate at rim 16 while bight portion 22 terminates short of rim 16. Thus a U-shaped bulb 24 may be conveniently inserted in pocket 18 with the legs 26 of bulb 24 extending beyond the leg portions 20 of pocket 18.

Pocket 18 also includes parallel leg extensions 28 in line with leg portions 20. As shown in FIG. 6 extensions 28 of one tray thus receive the remote ends of the bulb which is held in another tray of identical construction but arranged in mirror relationship thereto. Accordingly, the same pocket 18 may receive either the bight or the remote ends of the leg of the U- shaped bulb.

As illustrated in FIG. 1 tray 10 is particularly designed to universally support either ends of two U-shaped glass fluorescent lamp bulbs lying side by side. As can readily be appreciated tray 10 may be easily adapted for holding only one bulb or may be adapted for holding more than two bulbs in accordance with the number of pockets 18 provided thereon.

In the arrangement shown in FIGS. 6-8 bight portions of two bulbs are placed in one tray 10 and another like tray is inverted over the same end of the bulbs in face-to-face relationship to the first tray thereby sandwiching the U-ends of the bulb between the two trays. The opposite or straight ends 26 of the bulbs are likewise sandwiched between two identical trays. The assembly of two bulbs and four trays is packed with other like assemblies into for example a cardboard box or carton 30 to completely enclose the assembly.

Preferably the sets of trays are dimensioned to abut against each other and completely enclose, isolate and cushion each tray. Under certain circumstances, however, where the bulbs are very long, the trays may be somewhat spaced from each other (as in FIGS. 6-7) thereby concentrating the protection at the extreme end portions and the bent portions of the bulbs.

Trays l0 advantageously function to suspend and isolate the fragile bulbs 24 away from the walls of box 30 so that the resilient fibrous pulp or foam plastic material will absorb any impact imparted to the outside of box 30 during shipping, storage or handling. Trays l0 likewise prevent the bulbs 24 from smashing into each other when the package is jolted. The corrugated wall structure of tray 10 which receives the outer ends 26 of bulbs 24 is designed to maximize the crushing resistance of the tray from an endwise direction equally protecting the pin ends 32 (FIG. 7) of the bulbs as well as the bent U- shaped ends.

The outer sidewalls 14 of tray 10 are similarly ribbed or corrugated to afford crushing resistance to the resilient pulp or foam material. The bulbs are additionally supported upon raised resilient pads 34 to space the bulbs from the bottom wall 12 of the tray 10. As best shown in FIG. 1 cushioning pads 34 are spaced in such a manner as to be disposed in the curved as well as the straight portions in the bulb receiving pocket 18. The rib structure 36 throughout the central portion of tray 10 serves to both locate and cushion the bulbs 24 laterally as well as to add strength and rigidity to the package. Additionally, strengthening ribs 38 are provided between the straight leg portions 20 and each bulb-receiving pocket 18.

As also shown in FIG. 1 the comers 40 of tray 10 are beveled to provide a lead-in, thus facilitating automatic loading of the tray assemblies into the cardboard boxes 30 by thrusting the entire assembly into box 30.

FIG. 9 shows an alternative packaging arrangement. As indicated therein bulbs 24, 24 are disposed in opposite orientation to each other. ln other words the bent or U-end of one bulb and the straight end of the other bulb 24 are in the same tray. This method of placement equalizes the height of each end of package since the U-bend tends to be warped out of the basic plane of the straight legs which creates a thicker package in the bent end particularly when packed in several layers into a shipping container.

FIG. 10 illustrates another packaging arrangement wherein a set of bulbs 24a are placed in a set of trays 10a with the adjacent tray 10b being in the normal rather than inverted position for holding the further bulb 24b Similarly any number of additional trays 10:: etc. and bulbs 24c etc. can be arranged therein with the topmost tray 10c being inverted to isolate the topmost bulb 24d (which rests in tray 10d from container 3% This arrangement is advantageous where slightly less protection can be tolerated thus permitting a larger number of bulbs to be packaged in container 30a Tray 10 thus effectively cushions and isolates fragile U- shaped articles from each other and from the shipping carton while providing the desired amount of reinforcement thereto. With the various packaging arrangements illustrated for example in H65. 7, 9 and 10, tray 10 can be utilized in conjunction with identical trays to satisfy the needs dictated by the type of protection desired for the packaging of specific fragile articles.

What is claimed is:

1. A molded tray for packaging U-shaped bulbs comprising a bottom wall, sidewalls extending upwardly from said bottom wall and terminating in a peripheral rim, at least one U-shaped bulb receiving pocket on said bottom wall, the legs of said U shaped pocket terminating at said rim, the bight of said U- shaped pocket terminating short of said rim, said rim being interrupted in the area of the legs, upstanding crushing resistance means on said bottom wall arranged to define and isolate said U-shaped pocket, a plurality of spaced resilient pads in said U-shaped pocket, and said pads terminating above said bottom wall a lesser distance than said crushing resistance means terminates above said bottom wall.

2. A molded tray for packaging U-shaped bulbs comprising a bottom wall, sidewalls extending upwardly from said bottom wall and terminating in a peripheral rim, at least one U-shaped bulb-receiving pocket on said bottom wall, the legs of said U- shaped pocket terminating at said rim, the bight of said U- shaped pocket terminating short of said rim, upstanding crushing resistance means on said bottom wall arranged to define and isolate said U-shaped pocket, a plurality of spaced resilient pads in said U-shaped pocket, said pads terminating above said bottom wall a lesser distance than said crushing resistance means terminates above said bottom wall, said bulbreceiving pocket including parallel leg extensions in line with and extending from the legs of the U, said extensions being disposed adjacent said bight, and said resilient pads being further disposed in said leg extensions.

3. A molded tray for packaging U-shaped bulbs as in claim 2 wherein a plurality of said bulb-receiving pockets are in said tray for disposing a plurality of bulbs side by side.

4. A molded tray for packaging U-shaped bulbs as in claim 3 wherein said upstanding crushing resistance means comprises tapered ribs having upwardly extending walls inclined toward each other.

5. A molded tray for packaging U-shaped bulbs as in claim 4 wherein the corners of said tray are beveled.

6. A molded tray for packaging U-shaped bulbs comprising a bottom wall, sidewalls extending upwardly from said bottom wall and terminating in a peripheral rim, at least one U-shaped bulb receiving pocket on said bottom wall, the legs of said U- shaped pocket terminating at said rim, the bight of said U- shaped pocket terminating short of said rim, said bulb receiving pocket including parallel leg extensions in line with and extending from the legs of the U, and said extensions being dis osed ad'acent said bight.

. A pac age including a first molded tray having a bottom wall, sidewalls extending upwardly from said bottom wall and terminating in a peripheral rim, at least one U-shaped bulbreceiving pocket on said bottom wall, the legs of said U- shaped pocket terminating at said rim, the bight of said U- shaped pocket terminating short of said rim, upstanding crushing resistance means on said bottom wall arranged to define and isolate said U-shaped pocket, a plurality of spaced resilient pads in said U-shaped pocket, said pads terminating above said bottom wall a lesser distance than said crushing resistance means terminates above said bottom wall, in combination a U-shaped bulb, and a portion of said bulb being seated in said pocket.

8. A package including a first molded tray having a bottom wall, sidewalls extending upwardly from said bottom wall and terminating in a peripheral rim, at least one U-shaped bulbreceiving pocket on said bottom wall, the legs of said U- shaped pocket terminating at said rim, the bight of said U- shaped pocket terminating short of said rim, upstanding crushing resistance means on said bottom wall arranged to define and isolate said U-shaped pocket, said pads terminating above said bottom wall a lesser distance than said crushing resistance means terminates above said bottom wall, in combination therewith, a U-shaped bulb, a portion of said bulb being seated in said pocket, including a second tray identical to said first tray and disposed adjacent to said first tray as a mirror image thereof, each of the pockets in said trays including parallel leg extensions in line with and extending from the legs of the U, said leg extensions being disposed adjacent said bight, said resilient pads being further disposed in said leg extensions, and said bulb being disposed in the pockets of said first and second trays with the bent portion of said bulb being disposed in one of the pockets and the remote leg portions of said bulb being disposed in the legs and extensions of the other pocket.

9. A package as in claim 8 including a plurality of pockets in each of said first and second trays with a bulb disposed in a pair of communicating pockets in each of said first and second trays. I

10. A package as in claim 9 wherein the bent portion of each bulb is seated in a pocket in said first tray, a third tray identical to said first and second trays being inverted over said first tray for receiving the bent portion of each bulb in its pockets, and a fourth tray identical to the remaining trays being inverted over said second tray to receive the remote leg portions of each bulb in its pockets.

11. A package as in claim 9 wherein the bent portion of one bulb is in a pocket of one tray adjacent the remote leg portions of another bulb disposed in an adjacent pocket in the same tray.

12. A tray as set forth in claim 9 wherein said first and second trays and their bulbs comprise a set, a plurality of said sets being stacked atop each other, and a pair of further trays being inverted over the bulbs in the uppermost set.

13. A tray as set forth in claim 9 including a plurality of sets of trays and bulbs, a carton receiving said sets of trays and bulbs, and each of the bulbs being isolated from said carton and the remaining bulbs.

PO-105O (5/69) Patent No.

Inventor(s) Dated September 28, 1971 Henry R. Vigue It is certified that error appears in the above-identified patent and that said Letters Patent are hereby corrected as shown below:

Column Column Column Column 4,

COlumn f,

line 45, "bright" should be bight line line

line

line

pocket,

Signed and sealed this 21 st day of March 1972.

(SEAL) Attest:

EDWARD M.FLETCHER, JR.

Attesting Officer riOBERT GOTTSCHALK Commissioner of Patents 

1. A molded tray for packaging U-shaped bulbs comprising a bottom wall, sidewalls extending upwardly from said bottom wall and terminating in a peripheral rim, at least one U-shaped bulb receiving pocket on said bottom wall, the legs of said U-shaped pocket terminating at said rim, the bight of said U-shaped pocket terminating short of said rim, said rim being interrupted in the area of the legs, upstanding crushing resistance means on said bottom wall arranged to define and isolate said U-shaped pocket, a plurality of spaced resilient pads in said U-shaped pocket, and said pads terminating above said bottom wall a lesser distance than said crushing resistance means terminates above said bottom wall.
 2. A molded tray for packaging U-shaped bulbs comprising a bottom wall, sidewalls extending upwardly from said bottom wall and terminating in a peripheral rim, at least one U-shaped bulb-receiving pocket on said bottom wall, the legs of said U-shaped pocket terminating at said rim, the bight of said U-shaped pocket terminating short of said rim, upstanding crushing resistance means on said bottom wall arranged to define and isolate said U-shaped pocket, a plurality of spaced resilient pads in said U-shaped pocket, said pads terminating above said bOttom wall a lesser distance than said crushing resistance means terminates above said bottom wall, said bulb-receiving pocket including parallel leg extensions in line with and extending from the legs of the U, said extensions being disposed adjacent said bight, and said resilient pads being further disposed in said leg extensions.
 3. A molded tray for packaging U-shaped bulbs as in claim 2 wherein a plurality of said bulb-receiving pockets are in said tray for disposing a plurality of bulbs side by side.
 4. A molded tray for packaging U-shaped bulbs as in claim 3 wherein said upstanding crushing resistance means comprises tapered ribs having upwardly extending walls inclined toward each other.
 5. A molded tray for packaging U-shaped bulbs as in claim 4 wherein the corners of said tray are beveled.
 6. A molded tray for packaging U-shaped bulbs comprising a bottom wall, sidewalls extending upwardly from said bottom wall and terminating in a peripheral rim, at least one U-shaped bulb receiving pocket on said bottom wall, the legs of said U-shaped pocket terminating at said rim, the bight of said U-shaped pocket terminating short of said rim, said bulb receiving pocket including parallel leg extensions in line with and extending from the legs of the U, and said extensions being disposed adjacent said bight.
 7. A package including a first molded tray having a bottom wall, sidewalls extending upwardly from said bottom wall and terminating in a peripheral rim, at least one U-shaped bulb-receiving pocket on said bottom wall, the legs of said U-shaped pocket terminating at said rim, the bight of said U-shaped pocket terminating short of said rim, upstanding crushing resistance means on said bottom wall arranged to define and isolate said U-shaped pocket, a plurality of spaced resilient pads in said U-shaped pocket, said pads terminating above said bottom wall a lesser distance than said crushing resistance means terminates above said bottom wall, in combination therewith, a U-shaped bulb, and a portion of said bulb being seated in said pocket.
 8. A package including a first molded tray having a bottom wall, sidewalls extending upwardly from said bottom wall and terminating in a peripheral rim, at least one U-shaped bulb-receiving pocket on said bottom wall, the legs of said U-shaped pocket terminating at said rim, the bight of said U-shaped pocket terminating short of said rim, upstanding crushing resistance means on said bottom wall arranged to define and isolate said U-shaped pocket, a plurality of spaced resilient pads in said U-shaped pocket, said pads terminating above said bottom wall a lesser distance than said crushing resistance means terminates above said bottom wall, in combination therewith, a U-shaped bulb, a portion of said bulb being seated in said pocket, including a second tray identical to said first tray and disposed adjacent to said first tray as a mirror image thereof, each of the pockets in said trays including parallel leg extensions in line with and extending from the legs of the U, said leg extensions being disposed adjacent said bight, said resilient pads being further disposed in said leg extensions, and said bulb being disposed in the pockets of said first and second trays with the bent portion of said bulb being disposed in one of the pockets and the remote leg portions of said bulb being disposed in the legs and extensions of the other pocket.
 9. A package as in claim 8 including a plurality of pockets in each of said first and second trays with a bulb disposed in a pair of communicating pockets in each of said first and second trays.
 10. A package as in claim 9 wherein the bent portion of each bulb is seated in a pocket in said first tray, a third tray identical to said first and second trays being inverted over said first tray for receiving the bent portion of each bulb in its pockets, and a fourth tray identical to the remaining trays being inverted over said second tray to reCeive the remote leg portions of each bulb in its pockets.
 11. A package as in claim 9 wherein the bent portion of one bulb is in a pocket of one tray adjacent the remote leg portions of another bulb disposed in an adjacent pocket in the same tray.
 12. A tray as set forth in claim 9 wherein said first and second trays and their bulbs comprise a set, a plurality of said sets being stacked atop each other, and a pair of further trays being inverted over the bulbs in the uppermost set.
 13. A tray as set forth in claim 9 including a plurality of sets of trays and bulbs, a carton receiving said sets of trays and bulbs, and each of the bulbs being isolated from said carton and the remaining bulbs. 